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Food Connects Washington DC in 2050—A Vision for Urban Food Systems as the Centerpieces of a Circular Economy

Author

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  • Marian Stuiver

    (Green Cities Programme, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Sabine O’Hara

    (College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC 4200, USA)

Abstract

This article presents a vision for an urban food system in Washington DC in 2050 that serves as the centerpiece of a circular economy for the capital region of the United States. Food serves as the connecting link for an inclusive, adaptive, and resilient urban economy embedded in the region. This food economy values natural resources, cultural diversity, and commitment to nature-based innovations. The vision is the result of a three-pronged methodology of: (1) community engagement; (2) a thoughtful, process-focused transformation; and (3) the scaling up of existing urban food initiatives. We argue that small, hyperlocal, neighborhood-based initiatives can become crucial game changers and catalysts of change for entire neighborhoods, cities, and regions. Therefore, we propose a design-based approach to advance our 2050 vision of a circular food system. Our design-based approach consists of three building blocks: (A) systems thinking; (B) the ability to manage wins and tradeoffs; and (C) transitional leadership and cooperation. We explain these building blocks and the way in which they are incorporated in the 2050 vision of Washington DC. We further argue that the food economy is an ideal sector to embark on such a design-based approach due to its systemic nature, its critical position as an indispensable economic sector, and the complex connections it brings to multiple other sectors of the economy. An urban food system can therefore offer the ideal starting point for a transition towards a circular economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Marian Stuiver & Sabine O’Hara, 2021. "Food Connects Washington DC in 2050—A Vision for Urban Food Systems as the Centerpieces of a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-18, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7821-:d:593516
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. O'Hara, Sabine & Toussaint, Etienne C., 2021. "Food access in crisis: Food security and COVID-19," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    2. Katharina Hölscher & Julia M Wittmayer & Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers & Alfred Olfert & Jörg Walther & Georg Schiller & Benjamin Brunnow, 2021. "Transforming science and society? Methodological lessons from and for transformation research [Shifting Power Relations in Sustainability Transitions: A Multi-Actor Perspective]," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 73-89.
    3. Maryna Henrysson & Cary Y. Hendrickson, 2021. "Scope for Circular Economy Model in Urban Agri-Food Value Chains," Springer Books, in: Ranjula Bali Swain & Susanne Sweet (ed.), Sustainable Consumption and Production, Volume II, chapter 0, pages 75-97, Springer.
    4. Barbara Ribeiro & Nick Lewis, 2021. "Urban food forestry networks and Urban Living Labs articulations," Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 337-355, July.
    5. Piero Morseletto, 2020. "Restorative and regenerative: Exploring the concepts in the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 763-773, August.
    6. Joshua Farley & Deepak Malghan (ed.), 2016. "Beyond Uneconomic Growth," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15668, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nataliya Apanovich & Seth Asare Okyere & Stephen Leonard Mensah & Seth Opoku Mensah, 2025. "Community-Based Circular Food Systems and Sustainable Development Synergies in Semi-arid Cities: Lessons from Tucson, Arizona," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 1809-1834, June.

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